David Douglas Duncan

[summitar]

<p>I went in one of my half-price bookstores in the Seattle area. I always check out the photography section. I found a great book by Duncan (I have several others by him). This one is titled "Photo Nomad" and was published in 2003. It has about 480 pages with a photo on nearly every page.<br>

Duncan was born in 1916, was a Marine officer and combat photographer in WW2, became a Life photographer after the war, but went to Korea in 1950 and published many iconic photos of the Korean war, especially the retreat from Chosin reservoir.<br>

In Korea he used a Leica IIIf with of 50mm f/1.5 Nikon lens, and he was the one that made Japanese lenses famous. He switched to the Leica M3 after the war.<br>

I don't know if he is still alive but he had a great photographic career, quite a few Life covers.<br>

The book has wonderful photos, many in very exotic locations. He did a lot of photos of Picasso and his work.</p>

[richard_beisigl]

<p>According to one internet site, David Douglas Duncan is still alive, and is 93 years old. He was born in 1916.</p>

[h._p.]

<p>I own a copy of the original 'Nomad', which came out in the sixties. I don't find his photographs that interesting, not in same class as his contemperoraries, Robert Capa or the amazing Margaret Bourke-White, who provided Life's first cover, or even Arthur Fellig's (Weegee) news images.</p>

<p>Still, it would be a boring world if everyone liked the same things.</p>

[Rick_van_Nooij]

<p>Amazon.com offers new/used copies of "Photo Nomad" for a few bucks, just ordered a copy.</p>

[summitar]

<p>Margaret Bourke-White made some amazing Life covers. I have read her biography, but I am not familiar with her full bodyof work. Duncan outranks the self promoting Capa by light years. There is still controversy over the staging or not of the falling Spanish soldier, which Duncan included in this book, as part of a tribute to other photographers he had personally known, which includes HCB, Mili, and Kessel.<br>

Duncan also covered Vietnam, and has some great photos from Khe San, the Marine enclave. The breadth of experience in this book, exceeds every other photo book I have, and I have quite a few.</p>

[michaelging]

<p>He is and was a great photographer, and his books and photos of Picasso are wonderful. </p>

[wendell_kelly]

<p>Duncan wrote a number of books over the years, all of which are worth reading. The books can be had for very little money from the web used book sites.</p>

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[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Funny, but he seems most remembered for introducing Nikon products to the western world. Nikon must love him, but he wouldn't be popular at Solms!</p>

[dave_green5]

<p>Does anyone still make cameras in Solms? I know that they make licensing agreements there, but actual cameras?</p>

[robert_mikan]

<p>DDD has been a hero to me for over 50 years! His Korean War and Vietnam photos are among the most painful and enlightening ever made. He was all Marine - but I would have hated to be in a rifle company he was travelling with. Too many chances to die trying to emulate some of his earlier subjects. The handsome Marine in tears because his squad cannot get any more ammunition - knowing it means an agonizing death for many of them.<br>

Check out "This is War", War without Heroes or either of the Nomad books. The Picasso series are nice and probably his favorites.<br>

He was everywhere where history was made in the late 1940's. Eisenhower, Stalin, Churchill, Faisal - all knew and liked him. His observations of rioting in India between Hindus and Muslims were chilling - it was the first time that he was afraid to take out a camera.<br>

However - you must study "The World of Allah" , a lovely large book with insights into Islam that make me wonder how, or rather why, he was allowed to chronicle otherwise forbidden Islamic subjects so beautifully.</p>